Kirinyaga County has emerged as a national benchmark for health sector reforms, following widespread praise for its successful rollout of the Facility Improvement Financing (FIF) model, which allows public hospitals to retain and directly use their own-source revenue.
Governor Anne Waiguru said the consistent stream of benchmarking visits by other counties was proof that Kirinyaga’s health sector reforms were making an impact.
“The opening of state-of-the-art Medical Complex that has elevated the Kerugoya County Referral Hospital to a level five facility that is now offering comprehensive medical services for which residents have always been referred to Nairobi has been a game-changer,” she said.
She noted that her administration had invested heavily in infrastructure and service delivery to build a healthcare system that meets the growing demand for quality services.
“The benchmarking visits by delegations from six counties was an indication the devolved units had seen some of the best practices to borrow and implement in their counties,” she added.
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During a visit by Members of the Tharaka Nithi County Assembly and senior health officials from Taita Taveta, Chogoria MCA Franklin Mawira highlighted the significance of the improvements made.
He said, “This hospital is run very well. The new-born unit is a game changer for mothers. You also have a functional psychiatry department that reduces overreliance on national facilities like Mathari. FIF is clearly working here, it is the way to go.”
Ngariama MCA Daniel Kibinga, who represented the Kirinyaga County Assembly, praised the efficiency enabled by the FIF model, saying, “We have seen it for ourselves, and it is working.”
He added, “Kerugoya County Referral Hospital is running efficiently. If something breaks down, the board can approve immediate use of funds. There’s no delay waiting for the Controller of Budget.”
Taita Taveta’s Chief Officer for Health, Violet Mkamburi, said her county visited to draw insights for its planned level five facility.
“We choose this hospital because we had heard great things and what we have seen today confirms all the good things we heard,” she added.
She confirmed that some of Kirinyaga’s best practices would be implemented in their county.
Dr Mwendia Mutema, Head of Infectious Diseases in Kirinyaga, attributed the success of FIF to proactive leadership.
“We are among the few counties implementing this fund successfully,” he said, adding that the fund had enabled the county to meet increasing healthcare demands. “Most of our recurrent services run smoothly now,” he said.
So far, seven counties — Turkana, Laikipia, Kiambu, Nyeri, Bomet, Tharaka Nithi and Taita Taveta — have toured the Kerugoya facility, underscoring its rising reputation as a reference point for modern and decentralised healthcare governance.
The 341-bed medical complex features a paediatric ward, ICU, HDU, newborn unit, theatre, and a psychiatry department, supported by a Hospital Management Integrated System that enhances monitoring and accountability.
A recent Infotrak survey ranked Kirinyaga’s health sector third nationally in performance, reinforcing its position as one of the leading counties in health service delivery.
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